Grip means for implement handles



May 12, 1942. H. w. HALL 2,282,419

GRIP MEANS FOR IMPLEMENT-HANDLES Filed May 23, 1940 Patented May 12, 1942 UN ITE-D STATES ir'i EN 'i G-FFICE GRIP MFANSv FOR IBIPLEMENT HANDLES Horace W. Hall, Newton, Mass. Application May `23, 1940, Serial No. 336,737

1-2 Claims.

This .invention relates Vto grips for rackets, clubs, bats and theA like used to play games, and for other implements .of use.

The principal objectV is to provide an improved grip to better enable a player or user to maintain a rm hold on his playing implement or tool by making the outside surface of the grip predeterminedly uneven -by providing depressed. portions therein. Another .objectv is .to provide material for such a grip that can `be wound around the handle gripping portion of 'the implement with the lateral edges of the abuttingportions lying evenly in abutting relationship, even though dierent portions .of .the outside surface of ,said grip are in different planes, that is, some are .depressed farther inwardly than others due to differences in their thickness.

I am aware that others `have provided uneven gripping surfaces by skiving a portion of the leather or other gripping material; but the skived 1 portions are weaker than the unskived portions and when the leather is. pulled in winding it around the implement handle said skived ,portion sometimes stretches more than the other portion causing wrinkling of the leather and irregular projections inthe lateral edges of the abutting portions which are so pronounced as .to feel uncomfortable to the hand. These defects .of said other grips I have eliminated by providing 1a gripping .material vhaving portions that are thinner than other -portionsyetare equally strong, as

will be explained in more detail.

The foregoing .and other objects which will appear as. the .nature of the invention is better understoody may beaccomplished by a construction and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing and specification. The nature of the inventionissuch as to render it susceptible to various changes yand modicationsand, therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure;

but am entitled to all such changes therefromas fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l 'is a front elevational View of a tennis racket showing one type of grip piece on the gripping portion of said racket handle. Figure 2 is la similar view, broken away, showing another type of grip piece onsaid handle and vFigure 3 is a similar view showing .the same grip piece as in Figure 2 afxed on .said handle; but with the opposite surfaoethat is, the roughsurface, onthe outside.

Figure 4 is a plan view of .a grip piece after two marginal portions have been compressed inwardly from the smoothoutside surface, and it is ready to be wound around the gripping portion of an implement handle.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, and Figure 6 is a similar cross-sectional View but showing a compressed portion of said grip piece made in the rough surface.

Figure 7 shows mechanical means suitable forcompressing the grip piece.

As illustrated, a handle of a tennis racket H, which could be some other implement as well, has ahandle gripping portion I0 which is covered in whole or part with a grip piece I2 of suitable material such as leather or `fiber. Said grip piece I2 has a normal or thicker portion I4 and an abnormal or thinner portion I5 which may eX- tend marginally along one or both longitudinal outside edges of said grip piece I2 or'may extend in the middle. thereof or at some otherintermediate point of said longitudinal outside edges. one piece of material of substantially the same original thickness,.that is, having the same volurne of material between one surface and another, the said thinner portion I5 being denser or more compressed than the said thicker portion I4. The thinning of said portion I5 maybe accomplished :as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawing by drawing'the said grip piece, which is commonly supplied in strip form, 'between a vdat table member T and a metal wheel W set close to said table member', so that :the portion of said leather contacted by said wheel will be compressed inwardly and thereby made thinner and denser although still having the samevolume of material therethrough. "The compressing action may be directly on the smooth surface or top grain 23 of said 'leather grip piece I 2 in which event said thinner portions I5 have a velvety or shiny appearance or on the rough, ungrained or suede surface 2l thereof in which eventV saidr thinner portions areharderI or smoother than other portions thereof. This provides 1an uneven, exterior surface for said grip piece I2 be- -cause said portions I5 have been compressed, and

yet said thinner portions I 5 are as strong as said thicker portions I4 and more striking and attractive in appearance. f f

Said grip piece I2isn usually wound spirally around the handle grippingA portion I0 with lits lateral edges in even, abutting relationship. When a said grip .piece I2, that has been 1compressed on said suede or rough surface 2|, as shown in Figure 6' of the drawing, is wound around said gripping portion III with its smooth surface 20 on the outside, the depressed portions I will provide a surface that sl-ants diagonally inward towards the marginal abutting edges of said grip piece I2 'as .illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. When the same piece illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing is wound around said handle portion, but with said rough surface 2| on the outside, `said depressed portions I5 extend abruptly inward at substantially right angles to the said outside surface gl, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. When the top grain surface 20 has been compressed to provide said thinner portions l5, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawing, the depressed portions |5 will extend abruptly inward, said thinner portions |5 providing a ribbon or striped effect in said grip piece |2, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing. The same effect in the outside surfaces of said grip piece I2 is obtained in Figures 1 and 3, the only difference being the smooth surface 20 is on the outside in Figure 1 while the rough surface 2| is on the outside in Figure 3.

It is obvious, of course, if the grip piece I2V shown in Figure 5 of the drawing is wound around said handle gripping portion HJ with the said rough surface 2| on the outside, that the same effect will be produced as is shown in Figure 2 of the drawing; except that said rough surface 2| is on the outside.

It will thus be seen that a grip piece l2 is provided of undiminished strength throughout, that can be wound around the handle gripping portion |0 so that its lateral edges are in even, abutting relationship, and which provides an uneven outside surface by means of depressions made at predetermined places.

What I claim is:

1. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having a grip piece wrapped around it, comprising portions that vary substantially in density and thickness, said varying portions consisting of substantially the same quantity of material in cross-section.

2. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having a grip piece consisting of a single piece of material in cross section extending around it, comprising a compressed portion that is thinner and is depressed inwardly farther than other portions of said grip piece, but has substantially the same quantity of material in crosssection as said other portions.

3. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having an oblong-shaped grip piece extending around it having substantially the same quantity of material in cross-section, said grip piece embodying a longitudinally extending portion occupying less than the entire width of said grip piece that is more tightly compressed and thinner and depressed farther inwardly than other parallel extending portions of said grip piece.

4. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having a grip piece extending around it embodying an intermediate land portion, and two marginal edge portions thinner than said land portion extending longitudinally of said piece, the material forming said marginal portions being denser and more compressed than the material forming said landV portion, said land and marginal portions both having substantially the same quantity of material in cross-section.

5. A one-piece, single ply, leather grip piece for the handle gripping portion of an implement comprising a compressed portion and another portion that is thicker and less dense than said compressed portion.

6. A grip piece for the handle gripping portion of an implement of oblong-shape comprising a longitudinally extending portion that is denser and thinner than other portions thereof, said longitudinally extending portion and other por- P' tions having substantially the same quantity of material in cross-section.

7. An implement comprising a handle-gripping portion having a grip piece extending around it, said grip piece having a smooth top surface, a portion of said grip piece being more compressed from said top surface inwardly and therefore more dense than other portions of said grip piece the top surface of which is depressed farther inwardly than the top surface of said other portion, said top surface of said grip piece, including said depressed top surface, being so positioned as to form the outside surface of said handle gripping portion.

8. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having an oblong-shaped grip piece extending spirally around it, said grip piece having a smooth top surface, two longitudinally extending marginal portions of said grip piece at opposite sides thereof being more compressed from their top surfaces inwardly than adjoining portions of said grip piece the top surfaces of which are depressed farther inwardly than the top surfaces of said adjoining portions, said top surface of said grip piece,`including said depressed top surfaces, forming the outside surface of said handle gripping portion.

9. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having a grip piece extending around it, said grip piece having a rough outside surface, a portion of said grip piece being more compressed and thinner than other portions thereof the said rough surface of which is depressed inwardly farther than the rough surface of said other portions, said rough surface of said grip piece including said depressed surfaces, forming the outside surface of said handle gripping portion.

10. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having a grip piece extending around it, said grip piece havingv a smooth top surface and a rough bottom surface, a portion of said grip piece being more compressed, thinner and denser than other portions thereof, said top surface of said grip piece forming the outside surface of said handle gripping portion, the top surface of said compressed portion extending farther inwardly towards said handle gripping portion than the top surfaces of said other portions.

l1. An implement comprising a handle gripping portion having an oblong-shaped grip piece extending spirally around it, said grip piece having a smooth top surface and a rough bottom surface, two longitudinally extending marginal portions of said grip piece at opposite sides thereof being compressed from said rough surface inwardly and denser and thinner than other portions thereof, said top surface of said grip piece including said depressed portions forming the outside surface of said handle gripping portion, the top surfaces of said compressed portions extending farther inwardly towards said handle gripping portion than the top surfaces of said other portions.

12. A one-piece, single ply leather grip piece for the handle gripping portion of an implement comprising a compressed portion extending longitudinally on opposite outer side edges of said grip piece, and another portion between said compressed portions that is thicker and less dense than said compressed portions, all of said portions having substantially the same quantity of material in cross section.

HORACE W. HALL. 

